←Recommendations of The Sign

Timely and deeply resonant, The Sign turns a tense confrontation into a compelling exploration of listening, bias, and the possibility of repair. Zaffarano’s sharp dialogue and clear stakes make this short play both urgent and hopeful.

Jewish Plays Project would like to acknowledge that THE SIGN received Commended status for our first Ten Minute Play Contest OOF: On One Foot, which searched nationally for plays from artists of all backgrounds responding to our prompt on healing & repair. Our Artist Panel readers appreciated the craft, style, and creativity, as well as how it theatrically expressed the first annual contest theme of healing & repair.

Bravo on behalf of Different Strokes Performing Arts Collective who produced this piece as part of their "369 Monologue and Short Play Festival" in April 2023. It was truly an audience favorite. As represented by Rene, once a teacher always a teacher. Petey gets a a proper higher education when he tries to tell his former high school teacher, a Black woman, how the Black Lives Matter movement is ruining his neighborhood.

The Sign is a timely short play about listening and hearing; about assumptions when you don't know better and should; and about ingrown prejudices.

“The Sign” has a timely message about how some angry individuals tend to treat other people who represent something in their minds based solely on false information and bias. The moment Petey recognizes a respected teacher from his past, his attitude towards her changes, as if she suddenly becomes a different person than the perceived “suspicious” stranger parking in front of his house with a BLM sign. These are not stereotypes, however. Zaffarano carefully avoids pigeon-holing her characters as Petey so easily does. Powerful conflict and strong roles to play.

JULIE ZAFFARANO beautifully addresses the unfortunate prejudices of some toward our brothers and sisters, who happen to have a different skin color. Black Lives Matter is an earnest plea for fairness, equality, and respect, which is long overdue. “The Sign” is more than some letters. It stands for what we all need to realize: we are all made in God’s image, each and everyone of us. BRAVO!

A powerful look at the lines of divide when what we need most is community. Well done.

A truly phenomenal piece that takes the premise of BLM and does what only the truly great shows do: think! It's a conversation starter and, while gut-wrenching at times, is a truly accessible and real way to attack and explanation of what the movement stands for and why it is needed.

A quietly affecting powerhouse of a ten minute play. And a more effective way of approaching race relations than all the protests and riots and shouting matches, you won't find anywhere. Julie Zaffarano shows that dialogue and listening are the keys to understanding. A terrific bit of writing.